Gov. Perry: KBH ‘may not have a grasp’ on what’s going on in Texas (UPDATE)

Gov. Rick Perry seemed to quite enjoy himself at a Texas Capitol news conference today as he painted GOP primary foe Kay Bailey Hutchison as out of touch with Texas.

The U.S. senator has been traveling the state slamming Perry for “trying to stay too long” as a governor who hasn’t lifted the state where it should be.

Asked about her criticism at a news conference he called to slam the Obama administration’s health care push, Perry said, “I understand the senator’s been in Washington for 16 years, and she may not have a grasp of what all’s going on in the state of Texas. She may not know or understand the progress that we’ve made in the this state.”

He said Texas is No. 1 in job creation and “people are coming here because we have created a great economy.”

Asked specifically about Hutchison’s criticism of his refusal to take $555 million in additional stimulus money because of federal strings, Perry said, “Again, I think 16 years in Washington, D.C. may have impacted the ability to understand what’s going on here in the state of Texas.”

Perry noted that groups including the Texas Association of Business and the Texas arm of the National Federation of Independent business supported his decision on the stimulus money because it was tied to expanded jobless benefits. Hutchison has said she would have found a way to cut those federal strings.

Asked if Hutchison has been part of what he described as an overreaching federal government, Perry said she “will have to defend her record in Washington D.C. I look forward to engaging in the campaign … This is pretty simple to me. This is going to be Washington versus Texas.”

Hutchison spokesman Joe Pounder sent around a response that focused on the health care issue, emphasizing that Hutchison also opposes the administration’s effort: “With Kay Bailey Hutchison leading the entire Texas Republican delegation in lockstep against Obama-care, Rick Perry has a funny way of showing his support by castigating their leadership. While Rick Perry’s busy grandstanding and playing follow the leader, Kay Bailey Hutchison will be acting with her fellow Republicans to defeat Obama-care and that’s the leadership Texans deserve.”

UPDATE: Pounder added in a followup e-mail: “From today’s press conference, it’s clear that Rick Perry is out of touch with his own record. Under Perry, the state debt has doubled, jobs are being lost and property taxes are the highest in the country. The reality is Texas can do better.”